Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning, Foreign, Second and Multilingual Language Education

Combining theory, research and practice, the master’s program prepares foreign language and TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) professionals to engage in meaningful and effective practice across a variety of educational settings.

Our faculty have lived, studied and taught around the world. The strong international orientation of the program emphasizes understanding of key educational issues in the United States. At the heart of our program is a deep commitment to a vision of education that embraces diversity, social justice and equity.

Pride in the past, eyes to the future

As one of the oldest language education programs in the United States, we have trained many language educators who have made an impact in the U.S. and other countries since the Foreign Language Teacher Training program was first established in the 1950s and the master’s TESOL program in 1967.

Many graduates of the program also pursued further doctoral studies and have become renowned scholars and academic leaders in countries across the globe. The pride in our past is the same as we look to the future – training high-quality language educators and world-class scholars is our commitment to you.

Career Paths

ESL instructors in K-12 schools and colleges

Curriculum Specialist / Coordinator

Content Developer

Private language school administrators

Private tutors

Alumni Spotlights

Irina Zakharchenko

2020

My experiences with the MA program at Ohio State University have been exciting and enriching in so many ways. Not only did I meet many interesting people and make strong professional connections, I also had the opportunity to delve into methods and theories of English as a Second Language (ESL) and to conduct multiple research projects. The curriculum is well balanced and includes all of the main aspects one may encounter when teaching ESL. My professors encouraged my interests, allowing me to tailor my assignments to areas that interest me the most. They are able to see your knowledge and interests and support your academic and professional growth. I am inspired to continue my academic path further.

Qi Li

2021

My studies at Ohio State provided me with both theoretical knowledge and valuable first-hand experience. My professors encouraged me to explore the natures of L1 and L2 acquisition. They also enlightened me to use diversified and multicultural perspectives to design a course. Specifically, I was trained to integrate the information of learners’ linguistic knowledge, schooling experience, and cultural background into the course design. Throughout the field experience course, I also had chances to observe, record and analyze language learners’ behaviors by taking the ESL courses and online tutorials as an observer where I obtained new ideas in foreign language teaching. What I have gained at Ohio State well prepares me for my further career as a teacher.

Leo Che-Han Chen

2019

The MA program in FSMLE gave me the opportunities to not only learn theories from the caring faculty members, but also the hands-on field experiences to try out what I have learned. The supports I received provided me with the necessary skills and confidence to succeed as an effective ESL teacher and academic writing instructor.